


Territorial

by Creed Cascade (creedcascade)



Series: Telepathic!Jim Verse [4]
Category: Star Trek (2009)
Genre: Academy Era, Alternate Universe, Dysfunctional Family, Established Relationship, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Starfleet Academy, Telepathic Sex, Telepathy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-13
Updated: 2011-11-13
Packaged: 2017-10-26 01:18:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/276957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creedcascade/pseuds/Creed%20Cascade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim is on his best behaviour and its creeping Bones out.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Territorial

McCoy knew something was amiss when Jim started behaving. Normally, Jim’s best behaviour meant he was trying to con someone, more often than not McCoy himself. For the longest while, he couldn’t figure out what sort of scam the kid was trying to pull.

For over a week, there’d been no pissed off instructors. There were no random threats from classmates as they walked across campus. Pike hadn’t called with one of his regular warnings or lectures. Jim stayed off the ward when McCoy was on rotation and out of the female dorms. He didn’t go to the bars, staying in to study when they both damn well knew he didn’t need to cram. Jim hadn’t even propositioned Uhura.

It was goddamn unnerving and creepy as hell.

Jim was hiding behind a carefully constructed facade of the perfect cadet. McCoy wanted his mischievous, troublemaking Jim back.

Being psi null, McCoy never should’ve been able to bond to a telepath. But, like everything with Jim, the kid reshaped the universe to follow his rules. Their bond wasn’t a one way street and McCoy could sense whatever the trigger for Jim’s good behaviour was also causing him all sorts of anxiety. The emotions spilling over from Jim were making McCoy jumpy and restless.

Usually, nothing phased Jim on a day-to-day basis. Nothing the instructors threw at him really challenged him. Jim braved scenarios and assignments that would send a normal cadet fleeing. He was courageous and annoyingly daring. So whatever was phasing Jim had to be big. McCoy was determined to figure out whatever it was and fix it.

A few nights back, Jim dreamt while slept fitfully in McCoy’s arms. Jim broadcast his nightmares, bringing his lover to tears. McCoy held tighter and caught a brief mental image of an older woman through their shared bond. That fleeting moment, and the apprehensive emotions that came with it, finally gave McCoy a clue.

The cause of Jim’s anxiety was his mother.

After some careful hacking learned from Jim, McCoy found out Winona Kirk was going to be back on Earth for the first time in years. She’d be housed in quarters for personnel in need of temporary billeting.

It was time he arranged for a little chat with the other Kirk in active service.

++++++

“Evenin, ma’am.” McCoy arced an eyebrow and smirked at the Starfleet issued phaser pointed at his head. “If you go shootin’ me, then that would be an awful shame considering all the trouble I went to breakin’ in here undetected.”

The mental block he constructed would only keep his plans from Jim for a short time. It was key to get in and out before Jim found out.

“Who are you?” Winona demanded.

Her uniform was rumpled from too much time in a shuttle. Even with her blonde hair pulled in a severe bun, her thin face was still striking. McCoy could glimpse shades of Jim in her.

“Doctor Leonard McCoy, at your service.” He gave her a sloppy, insolent salute. “I don’t need any introductions as to who you are, Commander.”

“Cadet, what are you doing in my quarters?”

“Doctor,” McCoy corrected her. “There’s no need to be pointing that thing at me. I’m only here for a nice, lil’ chat.”

She cranked up the phaser from stun to kill.

McCoy shrugged and slouched further down in the chair he occupied. “You’re cranky. I get that. I’d be cranky, too, if I spent that much time in the black. Don’t understand why’d you take on a deep space mission myself, but then again--”

“I should shoot you just to shut you up,” she said.

“You’d be surprised how often I hear that.” McCoy chuckled and set his feet up on the coffee table. “Now, why don’t we get down to business? Put that damn thing away. If I wanted to kill you, I could’ve done it with a nasty virus and my handy dandy hypospray. All things considered, I wouldn’t mind trying out a new strain of N’Kree Hives I discovered on you. You’d certainly deserve it.”

“Give me one reason not to simply shoot you on principle.”

“Jim.”

McCoy noticed a minute shaking of her hand. She quickly adjusted her grip on the phaser to cover the weakness. “Is he okay?”

“Far from it.”

“I didn’t receive any reports.”

“You wouldn’t on this,” McCoy said. “As far as the higher ups go, they’re probably breathing a sigh of relief considering he’s been on his best behaviour as of late.”

“Shit. That’s never a good sign.” Winona lowered the phaser and holstered it. “It’s only a matter of time before he blows something up again.”

He couldn’t help but crack a bit of a smile. “Then I’ll know he’s back to normal, no thanks to you.”

“Show me some respect. I’m his mother and your superior officer.”

McCoy snorted. “A higher rank doesn’t make you superior to me.”

“Now listen here you--”

“Shut up!” McCoy jumped to his feet and stalked over to her. “Just shut the fuck up. You drag your sorry ass back to Earth after years in deep space and--”

“Who are you to judge me?” she spat.

“I’m Jim’s...” McCoy hesitated for a moment.

If he wasn’t careful, his anger would signal Jim quicker than a distress beckon. Whatever they were to each other was beyond definition as far as McCoy was concerned.

Best friend. Lover. Keeper. Partner-in-crime. Future CMO to Jim’s inevitable Captain, if you asked the smug bastard.

“I’ll let Jim talk to you about that if he chooses to do so. As far as I’m concerned, it’s none of your damn business.” He started to pace back and forth in the small space, glaring at her. “It took me a while to figure out what was going on, but it didn’t take a genius to figure out Jim’s sudden streak of freaky good behaviour coincided with your return. So, I’m here, being proactive before he cracks from all this behavin’ and does something stupider than normal. All this behavin’ is counter to his nature.”

“You’re only one of his fucks.” She sneered at him. “And, by the looks of it, a pathetic one at that.”

Jim wasn’t the only one who was territorial. McCoy tolerated Jim’s sexual flings because he knew they meant nothing in the long run. They were getting fewer and farther between the longer Jim was with him. Jim’s insecurities unconsciously bubbled to the surface sometimes, testing his connection with McCoy. Meeting Winoma Kirk, McCoy had no doubt those abandonment issues originated from her actions. For that reason alone, McCoy despised her.

“It doesn’t matter to me what you think,” McCoy said. “I’m here for Jim’s sake. If you upset him, I swear you’ll regret it. I--”

“Oh, crap.” Winona laughed and shook her head. “He’s finally found someone as batshit crazy as he is.”

McCoy crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. “I wasn’t done talkin’ yet, woman.”

“Jimmy’ll be fine. He always is.”

“No thanks to you.”

“Don’t judge me. You think you know him, but you’ve got no idea what you’re dealing with.”

“Stay away from him unless he contacts you,” McCoy snapped. “This is your one ‘n’ only warning.”

“I don’t like people threatening me, Doctor.” Winona caressed the handle of her phaser. “I’ve been threatened and almost killed by far more capable men than you. Jimmy doesn’t need a protector. Hell, he certainly doesn’t want one. And, if you think my son is going to commit to you, then you’d better check yourself in for a psych eval because you’re delusional. Jimmy doesn’t do commitment.”

That rant proved that this woman didn’t know Jim at all. Behind that cocky exterior and big mouth, Jim was vulnerable. He needed a keeper more than anyone else McCoy ever knew. Jim would never admit it, but he craved commitment down to a primal level. It’s why Jim had bonded with him. Case in point, Captain Pike said Jim had marked him from the first moment they met. Possessive lil’ shit that he was.

“You don’t know Jim at all,” McCoy’s tone was gruff and low. “Stay away from him. If he does contact you, which isn’t fuckin’ likely, then play nice. Upset him ‘n’ you’ll cross me. You might’ve been almost killed by the best in the galaxy, lady, but I don’t give a shit. I only give a damn about Jim.”

Winona fixed a steady, calculating glare on him. Its intensity reminded McCoy of Jim’s own intense gaze in the field. Winona’s expression was laced with a simmering layer of bitterness. He was turning to leave when something changed in her expression, softening to something akin to regret.

“You know, don’t you?” she asked, her hand shaking once more.

“I’ve got no idea what you’re talkin’ about.”

“Jimmy’s different. He’s always been.”

He shifted from foot to foot. In no way he did he like the direction this was taking. He’d only come to warn her off of crossing paths with Jim. “I’ll be going now.”

“You’re loyal. That’s a good sign. You’re not just a pretty face Jimmy usually chases. I suppose being a doctor, you’ve probably got some brains in that head of yours. You know, Jimmy’s always been too damn smart for his own good.”

“Jim’s a lot of things I admire.”

Her gaze flickered over McCoy from head to toe. “You poor bastard. I can tell by the look on your face that it’s too late. Jimmy’s got his hooks in you but good. You haven’t got a hope in hell.”

“Shut up.”

“You know, Jimmy didn’t talk until he was three years old... well, out loud, at least.” She scratched her temple. “I thought I was going crazy at first, hearing his babbling in my head. I couldn’t control him, either. He was too much too handle.”

“You abandoned him.”

“I ran and I ran fast. I found if I put enough distance between us, then I could sever the link he was trying to form. Space was my refuge.”

“Damn it, woman. He was a terrified infant reaching out for the only parent he had left. He needed you.”

“He’s not normal.”

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Ever since Captain Pike tested their bond, Jim was obsessive about monitoring him. It was one of reasons McCoy had carefully planned his attack to coincide with Jim’s current favourite Academy class on Advanced Temporal Mechanics, so Jim’s mind would be engaged.

“He may not be normal, but that’s what is breathtaking about him,” McCoy said. “No wonder the kid’s messed up with a bitch like you for a wannabe mama. I’m surprised he managed to make it out of childhood alive and sane.”

“Sanity has never been his strong suit.” Winona sat down on the tiny couch. “Every time I looked at him, I was reminded of my dead husband. Every time I picked Jimmy up... every time I touched him, he overwhelmed me. My own son scared me and still does. His mind, even as a baby was... vast and powerful. He was looking for something even then, and I knew I’d only be a place holder. He’s got his head so high in the clouds that he needs an anchor to keep him with the rest of us mortals. Something, or someone, to keep himself from getting himself killed. I think you’re that anchor he needed. I don’t know if I should pity or congratulate you.”

McCoy wasn’t going to admit to anything. He didn’t trust the woman. He welcomed Jim’s gift where she rejected it. His heart ached for the hurt she inflicted on Jim all those years ago.

“You can’t help but love Kirk men.” A wry smile crossed her lips. “He’ll bring you nothing but sorrow.”

“You’re a coward for running from him,” McCoy snapped, turning away from her and stalking towards the door. “I’ll never make the mistake you did.”

“I could bring you up on report. Have you disbarred from Starfleet with one word to the right people.”

“If you do, then you’ll have to deal with Jim after I’ve settled my score with you.” He opened the door and stepped over the threshold. McCoy turned to warn her one last time. “He doesn’t like it when people mess with anything that belongs to him.”

They stared at each other, neither of them backing down.

Winona sighed. “Take care of him and good luck. You’ll need it.”

McCoy slammed the door behind him, happy to be rid of her. It was only a matter of time before Jim would find out what he did and McCoy was fine with that.

“Are you done now, Bones?” McCoy heard the familiar voice ring in his head.

McCoy huffed and rolled his eyes. “Only if you’re done behavin’.”

“I’m sure Pike would argue with you.”

“Pike can bite me. I want my Jim back. Screw him and your she-bitch of a mother.”

Jim’s responding laugh was deep and warm. “I love you, too. Now, meet me in the quad. We’ll get a cup of coffee and I’ll start plotting my next strategic move--”

“Stunt,” McCoy corrected.

“Good times any way you look at it.”

“Whatever. I know you do it simply to drive me mad.”

“You love it and me.”

“Crazy jackass. You might not be wrong. Hey, kid, I’m sorry if I crossed the line back there. I know she’s family, but--”

McCoy was besieged by a sudden flood of pure emotion Jim sent his way. He had to stop walking and brace himself against the wall. His body responded instantly and McCoy groaned, thumping his forehead against the wall. He felt Jim’s ghost touch drawing out breathy moans.

Love / Need / Want / Desire / Passion - so goddamn intense.

“Please don’t leave me,” Jim begged.

He didn’t understand why Jim wanted him, but there was no doubting that Jim not only wanted, but desperately needed him. It was humbling and overwhelming.

“I won’t,” McCoy promised. He was hit by another wave of desire. McCoy shuddered and a blush rose to his cheeks. “Back off, Jim. I’m not coming in my pants again. Not here. Not now.”

“I’ll finish this later.” Another ghost touch – a promise – this time a gentle brush of a kiss on McCoy’s lips. “You’re the only family I need, Bones.”

END.


End file.
